When people hear the words suspended coffee, what comes to mind usually is a floating coffee. But, as funny as that sounds suspended coffee is not, in fact, a floating drink. It is a tradition that initially started in Naples, Italy. To pay it forward, to make someone’s day, or to merely help someone down on their luck and in need of caffeine this is why this tradition exists. 

How it works is when someone goes to buy their drink, instead of purchasing just one they tell the barista that they want to buy two but have the second one suspended. So, if someone came into the cafe who didn’t have enough money that day to get a drink or they looked in need of a drink, that barista can give the already paid-for coffee to that person. 

This tradition has made its way from Europe to here in Utah too. Though, currently the only places that offer suspended coffee are small cafes in the heart of Salt Lake City. It’s currently not known whether or not big names such as Star Bucks or Dutch Bros will bring the opportunity of giving suspended coffees, but it would quite possibly make someone’s day if they started. 

Suspended coffee initially started in Italy with the idea that it would either bring you good luck to give a suspended coffee, or you would just be doing a good deed for someone who is in need. Either way, it has become a highly popular concept in Italy and almost everywhere in Europe. It has only started making its way to the United States in recent years. And although most places in Utah do not yet offer the opportunity to give a suspended coffee, there are still quite a few small cafes in Salt Lake City that let you do a nice deed. 

“Everyone is someone’s son or daughter, possibly someone’s sister or brother, or father or mother. Please don’t judge. If you can’t or don’t want to give money then smile, pass the time of day, and walk on. You never know exactly what’s around the corner for you or yours.” Quote from the Suspended Coffee Blog.

This quote really optimizes the concept of suspended coffee. You truly don’t know what might happen on a daily basis. Sometimes even just the benefit of getting a free coffee can be life-saving to someone. So if you ever have the opportunity to give back to people, even if it is something as small as a coffee, you never know who you might be able to help.